


4:18 PM, 'Brooklyn's Finest' Record Shop

by turn_turn_turn



Series: Um, Hello - A Meet-Cute AU Series [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M, MARGARET CARTER IN THE HOUSE, Meet-Cute, also more puns, and she's not going to let these smitten dweebs drop the ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 07:38:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8969866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turn_turn_turn/pseuds/turn_turn_turn
Summary: "Ahhh," Bucky finally manages to respond - very coherently and eloquently, if he does say so himself. His eyes flick back and forth between a smug Peggy and a flustered Steve. "Yes?"





	

**Author's Note:**

> Meet-cute premise: Peggy intervenes.

Bucky pushes through the door of the little record store, feeling irritable and only vaguely registering the chime of the bell above his head. Becca's birthday is in three days and he _still_ hasn't managed to track down the album she'd asked for, even after a full day's search.   

Though the fact that the band is local and only releases their albums on vinyl  _probably_  should have clued him in to the idea that he wasn't going to find the thing at Target. Or Best Buy. Or any of the other four stores he's visited today.    

He scans the racks quickly, making a beeline for one under the hand-drawn sign that proclaims 'Bands of the Borough' above a sketch of the Brooklyn skyline.    

After a few seconds Bucky pauses flipping through the albums on the stand and reaches into his pocket for his phone, needing to look up the band's name for what feels like the millionth time today. Bucky might not be a music buff, but 'Professor Stark and The Flying Cars' just isn't very catchy.    

"Aha!" he exclaims a minute later, grabbing the correct album from it's place among the P's and resisting the urge to do a little dance of triumph once it's in his hand.   

He makes his way toward the register desk, eager to be done his exhausting errand and back home where his couch and his Netflix live. He tucks the album under his right arm and grabs for his phone again as he shuffles to the rear of the store.    

His phone buzzes unexpectedly with a text from Natasha as he pulls it free of his pocket, startling him into almost dropping the album. Bucky sighs; five years later and he's still as clumsy with multitasking as ever. Damn left arm. Or, you know, lack thereof.    

He's texting Nat a reply as he reaches the register, dropping the album down on the counter and not looking up from his phone screen.    

"Um, is this all?" asks a deep voice from behind the desk.    

"Yep," Bucky replies, still looking at his phone, waiting for Nat to confirm that she has found the spare key to his and Clint's apartment from the directions he'd given her.  

Bucky assumes that Nat actually  _asking_  for the key is in somewhat patronizing deference to what she claims are his own 'delicate sensibilities,' but he appreciates the gesture, nonetheless. His PowerPoint lectures about what constitutes breaking-and-entering must be getting somewhere with her.    

The voice at the register breaks into Bucky's musings again; "I mean, if you like this band I could ah, give you some suggestions for - I mean this record's great but there's some stuff by -"   

"No thanks, that's -" Bucky looks up then, locking eyes with the cashier. "Okay."    

Huh.    

Bucky can't help but stare for a second; Cashier Dude is  _cute_. Seriously, intensely cute.    

The guy blushes prettily under Bucky's gaze. "Oh um, okay – I was just -"   

"Steve, darling," drawls a smooth, accented voice from over the guy's shoulder.    

Bucky glances away from the dude's startling, deep blue eyes toward the source of the voice, finding a statuesque woman perched on the counter across from the register and lazily flipping through an issue of _Rolling Stone_.   

Not looking up from the page, she continues, "Allow your friend there the dignity of his choice - his music taste may be horrendous, but we must still respect it."   

She's captivating - her outfit a careful blend of tailored vintage fabrics and contemporary accessories, with neon-purple lipstick on her beautifully shaped lips and 40's pinup curls in her chestnut hair. Bucky tears his eyes away from her and focuses back on the guy, Steve, who is no less gorgeous, if Bucky is looking.  

Which he certainly is.   

What is this place, hot punk paradise?    

"Actually, it's ah, it's for my sister," Bucky clarifies. "Though I think it might be like a 30% to 70% split of musical preference to crush on the lead singer."   

The woman tosses the magazine aside and hops down off the counter, sighing, "Unfortunately that distinction does nothing to save her from poor taste."    

Bucky raises his eyebrows at her obvious disgruntlement and shoots Hot Steve a questioning look.    

Hot Steve grins, his lip ring glinting against the smooth pink of his lips. "The lead singer, Howard, is an ex-bandmate of Peggy's," he explains to Bucky in a stage whisper. "They, ah, didn't end things on a very positive note."    

"Ha, 'note.'" Bucky snorts, and then immediately wants to die of mortification at his own lameness.   

A pun as an opener? Seriously?   

Miraculously Steve snorts back.  

Peggy does not. She narrows her eyes at Steve, crossing her arms over her chest. "I am not protesting against their music for some petty, personal reason, Steven. My grievances are entirely _professional_  – they stole our spot at the festival this year, as you well know. Howard probably _bought_  their way in, of all the unfair -"    

"No, that wasn't very fair, I know," Steve says soothingly, turning toward her and allowing Bucky a long look at the wing tattoo inked just above his left ear, visible through his slight undercut.    

Peggy does not appear consoled. " _And_  he still has Angie," she grumbles. "Absolutely refuses to give her back. Touching her with those uncouth hands -"    

"Guitar, not a person," Steve whispers in aside to Bucky, another small smile lighting up his face.    

"He's probably filled her up with wires by now – made her  _electric,_ " Peggy continues.  

"I'm not sure that's how the whole acoustic versus electric thing works, Peg."   

"It's Howard, Steven, you know he could do it if he wanted – you saw what he did to that toaster."   

"That was pretty terrifying." Steve's brow furrows, and Bucky just wants to _dissolve_  with how cute this dude is.    

Besides the lovely blue eyes and the plump, sweet mouth, Steve hits all of Bucky's first-glance buttons; his slender forearms are covered with tattoos, a few more poking out above the collar of his button down, and the lovely blue eyes are framed by impossibly long lashes, an attractive pair of square-framed glasses magnifying the effect.   

Sure, his haircut might be a littleBoy Scouts of America on top, but he's pulling it off, in Bucky's opinion.    

Peggy sighs heavily, cutting into Bucky's thoughts and jolting him out of staring at Steve's pretty face.    

"Anyway, I'm done whinging," she declares. "I've bored us all. Bloody Howard, is there no end to his crimes? He makes me annoy  _myself_  – fucking ghastly." She leans against the counter by Steve's elbow, eyeing Bucky speculatively. "Anyway, darling, are you going to invite this hunky patron to the show tonight, or should I?"   

"Oh um," Steve mumbles, blushing again, the tattoo that peeks out over his neckline coloring. "I will, I think." He meets Bucky's eyes. "Would you like to come to a gig later?"    

Bucky's heart actually stutters against his rib cage.   

Good grief.    

Steve's cornflower eyes search Bucky's face, which is most likely taking on shades of red by the millisecond. "It should be good," Steve adds in a weak voice. "Peggy's band is amazing."   

"Thank you, sweetheart." Peggy smiles, eyes still on Bucky. "So, what say you, dashing gentleman? Date with Steve here, tonight? I can tell you from experience that his incentive package is _quite_ comprehensive -"   

"Peggy!" Steve gapes at her.    

"And his bum is decidedly  _pert_  -"    

"Fucking Christ,  _Peggy!_ "    

"I'm just trying to be a good wing-person, or whatever Samuel calls it! Look, I think it's working – I think he's going to say yes." She nods to Bucky, whose face must have now reached the 'Extreme' classification on the Fire Danger color code.    

"Ahhh," Bucky finally manages to respond - very coherently and eloquently, if he does say so himself. His eyes flick back and forth between a smug Peggy and a flustered Steve. "Yes?"    

Steve goes possibly even redder than Bucky at this. "You don't have to – don't let her force you to -"   

Bucky cuts him off, scrambling to say, "She isn't forcing me! I'd like to – I'd – Yes, um  _yes_. I'd like to come."   

"Oh um, great!" Steve's worried face breaks into a huge grin that makes Bucky think of the sun coming out from behind a cloud.    

Of course on the tails of that notion is the desire to throw himself directly  _into_  said sun for thinking something so unbearably cliche, but thankfully Bucky's too busy grinning back at Steve to comply.    

Bucky returns the smile. "Great."    

"Great," Steve repeats, still beaming.    

"Good lord," Peggy mutters under her breath, fixing a smirk on Steve that is so knowing it makes  _Bucky_  want to squirm. "Steven, if you tell Howard that you met your new beau all because of his filthy record, I promise to never speak to you again."   

"Right. Okay, Peg, I promise I won't." Steve still hasn't looked away from Bucky's face. He also hasn't stopped smiling.   

The whole thing is making Bucky feel a little faint.    

"Um, do you mind if I finish paying for the record?" Bucky asks, hoping to get them both back on track to being functional human beings.    

"Oh! Yeah, definitely – sorry." Steve quickly finishes shoving Becca's album into a plastic bag and eyes the register screen. "That'll be $16.23 with tax, please."    

"Love for the price of a large pizza and fries - Americans are so thrifty," Peggy comments, flipping through her magazine once more.    

Steve shoots her a side-eyed glance. "You callin' us cheap?"    

 _Us_ _?_   

A bubble of glee bursts up through Bucky's chest and he almost laughs out loud at the absurd serendipity of this situation. Best exhausting errand  _ever_.    

"1.25 dollars to the pound, dearest – you do the math." Peggy turns the magazine lengthwise and squints at the page.    

"That doesn't make any sense," Steve protests, handing Bucky his change.    

"Sure it does. And I used to be an accountant, so I'd know." She turns the magazine upside down, still squinting.    

"Yeah, but you _quit_  bein' an accountant to front a rockabilly band that mostly deals in Sam Cooke covers."   

"Your point being?"   

"Ya know, I don't think either of us had a point to begin with."   

"You might be right, dear," Peggy concedes distractedly. "Don't forget to get the Howard Fanboy's phone number, for you to arrange your date this evening."    

"Oh right!" Steve rummages in the desk drawer and pulls out a beat up iPhone. "Can I have your number?" he asks Bucky, his face tinting again, ever so slightly.    

"Only if the word 'fanboy' is NOT used in whatever name you save me under," Bucky tells him.    

"If the man-bun fits," Peggy sing-songs.    

"Oh layoff, Peg - his, ah, his -"   

"Bucky," Bucky puts in.    

" _Bucky's_  bun looks much nicer than Howard's - for all we know Howard is copying him." Steve smirks, teasing.    

"Not possible." Bucky shakes his head. "I made my hairdresser sign an NDA."   

"That doesn't make any sense." Steve grins.     

"Sure it does." Bucky shrugs.  

"Did you used to be an accountant too?"   

"Now that _really_ doesn't make sense."   

"Honestly, I think we've all quite lost the plot," Peggy declares genially, setting the magazine down again and inspecting her fuchsia-painted fingernails . "Playing cupid for you is making me feel rather daft, Steven - I shan't have to reprise the performance anytime soon, I hope."   

Steve hands Bucky his phone, his expression bright and open. "I hope so too."    

Bucky smiles back, and takes it.    

   

   
 

\---   

   
 

   

 **Half a year later...**    

   

"Budge up, you oafs. And turn the channel, please – Colbert is on." Peggy prods at Bucky's thigh with a raised foot, forcing him and Steve to make room for her on the couch.    

Bucky looks down at Steve with a raised eyebrow as they shift. "Remind me again why we let her move in with us?"    

Steve yawns and snuggles closer to Bucky. "She makes the best coffee."   

Peggy drops down onto the now-vacant cushion, a pint of Ben & Jerry's in one hand and a spoon in the other. "I'm also very proficient at organizing the mail," she says loftily.   

Bucky snorts. "A very in-demand skill. You also eat all the ice cream – hey, gimme some."    

Peggy holds out a dripping spoonful and Bucky takes it, managing to get  _most_  of it into his mouth. "Mmmm, Cherry Garcia."   

"I know, right?" Peggy garbles, the spoon already back in her own mouth.    

Bucky tosses her the remote and burrows even deeper into the couch, Steve now buzzing with little asthmatic snores against his chest.    

"Oh, damn" Peggy sighs, eyes fixed on the television screen. "It's a repeat."   

Bucky grins at her. "Want to watch  _Cruel Intentions_?"   

"One step ahead of you, Sargent." Peggy smirks, leaning toward the bookshelf they keep their DVDs on.    

"Not againnnnnn," Steve groans into Bucky's shirt.    

"Shhhhhh," Bucky and Peggy soothe in unison.  

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So I watched 'High Fidelity' recently and ah, this happened. 
> 
> My wife is in this! My beautiful and talented wife whom I love! She is a very capable wing-person, no? 
> 
> Also, the idea of Buck and Peg sharing a mutual fervor for So-Bad-It's-Good movies just, like, tickles me. Steve would be very long-suffering about it, of course. 
> 
> This week has been SUCH FUN so far, my dudes. Thank you for reading and for being so sweet!!!


End file.
